Electric switch.



E. H. JACOBS. E'Lzcmc SWITCH.

Pme/umu mw MAY 2a. 1914.

Patented June 26, 1917.

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E. H. IACOBS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION msu MAY 23. m4.

1,231,367. I PatntedJune 26,1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Vidya.

Witnesses: Inventor:

Ernest H Jacobs.

I I b9 .MMI/5M HisfTttor-rweg.

E. H. JACOBS.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Awu'cmon miv MAY 2a. lsu.

1 231 367 Patented June 26, 1917.

4 'fili 1f Witnesses In verwtor':

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.

ERNEST H. JACOBS, 0F SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CGRPORATION 'OF NEW YORK. r

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Specification of Letters I'at'e'lit.

Patented June 26, 1917.

AppIication filed May 23, 1914. Serial No. 840,501.

l 10 all 'iv/0m 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST H. Jacos, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady,`in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Switches, of which the following is' a speciication.

My invention relates to electric switches and more pa-rticularly to the mechanism for actuatimgr these switches.

The object of my invention is to generally improve electric switches. More particularly the object of my invention is to provide for electric switches a novel and improved type of actuating mechanism which is compact, of few parts and of greater sensitivity than previous actuating mechanisms of this general character. Further and other objects of my invention will be noted hereinafter.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invent-ion will be definitelyindicated in the claims appended hereto; the features of construction and mode of operation will be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show the preferred embodiments of my invention and in which Figure 1 is aside elevation of one form of switch embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the actuating mechanism in switch closing' position with 4the supporting frame removed; Fig.'3 is a perspective view of the actuating mechanism in switch openingY position: and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the actuating mechanism when reset and read7 to close the switch.

In Fig` 1 I have shown a three phase or triple pole high potential switch, each pole of the switch controlling one phase of the circuit to be protected and comprising cooperating fixed and movable contacts separable in a vessel containing; oil or other suitable insulating. Huid.- Only two polesI A and B of the triple pole switch -are shown. the third pole being similar in every respect to tbe others'. The movable contacts for each pole of the switch arc moved into and out of engagementwith their respective fixed contacts bv suitable means. such as parallel motion mechanisms comprising arms 1 and the parallel .links 2 and 3 cooperating' with guide links 4. rl`he arms 1 of the -parallel motion mechanisms are connected to the movable contacts'by suitable insulatingr rods 5. These three parallel motion mech* anisms for moving the three sets of movable contacts, are operated simultaneously by a common actuating),- mechanism suitably mounted upon a frame or support secured to the pole A. This` actua-tinaY mechanism for the switch, which embodies one form of my invention, is of the tripfreefrom the-handle type`r and may bc operated either electrically or mechanically.

Modern transmission and power s vstcms have created a demand for switches oi great capacity. Then the usual types of switches were increased in size to operate on modern transmission systems. the actuating mechanisms for these switches became large and cumbersome, and were exceedingly difiicult to manipulate with any decree of sensitivity. The purpose of myinvention, is, therefore, to provide for these switches a compact and powerful actuatingmechanism which will have a high degree of sensitivity and will operate with 'a quick action independent of the opening movement The actiratin'e1 mechanism which I have shown as an'illustration' comprises. as is best shown in Fig. 2, a common operating shaft i', adapted to be either hand or motor operated. Securely mounted upon thc shaft i' is a link 8 which cooperates with another lilik 9 to form the operating toggle for the switch. Mounted upon a common bearing 10 is an operatingr lever 11 in the form of a double bell crank lever havingbifurcated arms 1Q. This operating lever 11 is pivotally connected to the link 9 of the operating toggle 8 9 and is movable in response to said operating toggle about the bearing 10 as a fulcrum. Pivotally mounted between the bifurcated arms 12 of the opera-tingT le ver 11 and eccentric to the bear-intr 10, is a bell crank lever 13 which cooperates with a link 14 to form the actuating toggle for the switch. Another bell crank lever 15 is also mounted upon the commonbearingr 1.0 which has bifurcated arms 1G. Between the ends of the bifurcated arms 16. is pivotallv mounted both the link 1,4, of the actuating toggle 13 14 and the parallel links 3 of the parallel motion mechanism for pole A of the Aso switch. Upon the common bearing 10, at the ,tulcrum of' bell crank lever 15 and between the bifurcated arm 16, is pivotally mounted the parallel links 2 of 'the aforementioned parallel motion mechanism. The arm 17 of the bell crank lever is connected to the operating rod-6, to which is also connected, the bell crank levers 15 of the parallel motion mechanisms corresponding to the other 'two poles of the switch. It will thus be apparent that when the actuating toggle 13-14 operates, it moves simultaneously all the bell crank levers 15 by means of the common rod 6 and hence all 'the parallel motion mechanisms.

Between the ends of the bifurcated arms 12 of the operating lever 11 is pivotally mounted, toggle links 18 which coperate with a toggle link 19, pivotally connected to the bell cra-nk lever 13, to form a collapsible locking toggle between the operating lever 11 and the actuating toggle 13-14. Ala-tching member 20 is mounted between the ends of toggle links 1S and is provided with a detent 21 which normally catches the end of toggle 19 and holds the locking toggle lS-lQ in locked position. A stop 22 is secured to the latching member 21 which coperates with a finger 23 on the operating lever 11 to limit the movement of the latching member.

Attached to the lower end of the frame which supports the actuating mechanism, is a base plate 24 upon which are suitably mounted solenoids 25, one solenoid corresponding to each phase of the'circuit to be protected. The solenoids may be energized from either alternating or direct current and either instantaneously or with a time limit without the use of auxiliary relays. Coperating with each of the plungers of the solenoids 25, are fingers 26 pivotally mounted upon the base plate 24e above the plungers of the solenoids 25. The lingers 2G Aare radially mounted upon the base plate 24 in such a way as to engage a common ear 27 which is integrally related to the tripping arm or member 28. The tripping arm 2S is pivotally mounted between two supports made integral with the base plat-e 24 and is arranged to be moved into tripping engagement with the latching member 2() to collapse thc locking toggle 18m-w. livotallv mounted eccentric to the operating shaft 7 is a. pawl 29 which coacts with the boss 30 of the tripping arm 2S. to raise the arm into tripping engagement with the la-tcliing member 20 when the switch is opened mechanically.

The operation of my novel switch actuating mechanism is as follows. In Fig. 2 is shown the complete actuating mechanism for the switch in switch closing position. ln this position of the actuating mechanism, the locking toggle 18-19-is slightly underset, but is held locked by the latching member 20, thus forming a normally rigid but collapsible connection between the operating lever 11, and the actuating toggle 15S- 14. The actuating toggle 13'-14 is held locked b v the locking toggle 18-19 also in a slightly underset position. When thc locking toggle 1S--19, therefore, is in locked position, the actuating toggle 13-14 is rendered responsive to movement of the operating toggle 8-9. A lug 31 upon link 9 of the operating toggle engages with the Support for the mechanism, not shown, to hold the operating toggle 8-9 slightly overset. The switch contacts are thereby held in closed position by three normally rigid toggles so arranged as to evenly distribute the thrust of the mechanism due to its tendency to move into switch opening position.

The actuating mechanism is moved from switch closing to switch opening position either by the movement of the operating shaft 7 or in response to overload upon the circuit. Upon the occurrence of an overload upon one or more phases of the circuit to be protected, the solenoids 25 corresponding to these phases are'sufliciently energized to raise their plungers and move their re.- spective fingers 26 into engagement with the ear 27 of tripping arm 28. The tripping arm is thus raised into engagement with the latching member 20 to move the member 20 into a position to release the end of toggle link 19 from the detent 21 and allow the locking toggle 18-19 to thereby collapse. Upon the collapse of the locking toggle 18-19, the actuating toggle 13-14 also collapses, whereupon the bell crank lever 15 and the parallel motion mechanism move about the bearing 10 as a fulcrum into switch opening position. The actuating toggle 13-14 and the locking toggle 1S--19 collapse and move into switch opening position without disturbing the opera-ting lever 11 and opera-ting toggle 8 9, which still remain in switch closing position as is best shown in Fig. 3. By this construction, l provide my actuating mechanism to trip-frcc-from-the-handlc.

lf the mechanism is in switch closing position as shown in Fig. 2 and it is desired to manually open thc switch. the operating shaft 7 is rotated in the reverse direction from that to close the switch. As the operating shaft 7 rotates, it moves the pawl 2t) mounted thereon into engagement with the boss 3() of the tripping arm 2S. Further rotation of the shaft 7 raises the tripping arm 2S into engagement with the latching inember 20 to cause the locking toggle 18H-19 to collapse and the switch to open, as hercinbefore described. As the operating toggle 8 9' is normally overset when in switch closing position, the initial rotation of the operating shaft 7 merely straightens the operating toggle. At the same time the boss 3() moves the arm Q8 into tripping engage ment with the latching member 20 without moving the actuating toggle 13-14 and hence the contacts of the switch from normal circuit closing position. By this arrangement, the contacts of the switch remain in normal circuit closing position until the locking toggle 18 19 is collapsed and the contacts ope-n with the same speed of movement whether manually or electrically operated. Then the actuating toggle 13-14 moves from switch closing to switch opening position, it moves the bell crank lever l5, and the parallel motion lnechanism about the bearing 10 as a fulcrum, thus causing the rod 6 to move, simultaneously, the bell crank levers l5 and the parallel motion mechanisms for the other two poles of the switch into switch opening position to break simultaneously ,the contacts for cach pole of the switch.

When the actua-ting mechanism has been moved into switch opening position either upon the occurrence of overload or upon the mechanical opening of the switch, as heretofore described, the position ofthe actuating mechanism is shown in Fig. 3. To close the switch again, the operating shaft 7 is rotated to move the operating toggle 8 9 and the operating lever 1'1 from switch closing position int-o the position shown in Fig. 4t. As the operating lever 11 is moved about the bearing 10, as a fulcrum, its bifurcated arms are moved to straighten the locking toggle 18-19. As the locking toggle 18-l9 is being straightened, the end of the toggle link 19 comes into engagement with the detent 2l on latching member 2O to hold the locking toggle in locked position. The actuating mechanism for the switch is now in resetting position ready to move the switch into closed 'position as the locking toggle 18-19 holds the actuating toggle 1314 rigid and -responsive to the movement of the operating toggle 8 9. To move the switch into closed position, the operatin shaft 7 is moved in the opposite direction Iom that for moving the switch mechanism into resetting position. This movement of the operating shaft 7, moves the operating toggle S-9 operating lever 11 and the actuating toggle 13-11 as a unit about the bearing l() as an axis into switch closing position. The various elements of my novel actuating mechanism are se interrelated and pivotally connected that the mechanism is moved into switch closing position easily and with a minimum effort. Then the three movable contacts for the switch move into engagement with their respective fixed contacts, the operating toggle has just moved to a slightly overset position and is held in this position by the engagement of the lug 31 with the frame or support for the actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism is thus held in switch closing position until the operating toggle is again moved toward switch opening position or until the locking toggle 18-19 is collapsed due to an overload upon the circuit.

My invention may be embodied in many other forms than that shown and described, and I therefore do not wish to restrict myself to the precise construction shown but intend to cover by the appended claims all changes and modifications which are within the scope of my invention and will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

that I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is :-4

l. In an electric switch, the combination with a fixed contact member, and a coperating movable contact member, of an actuating mechanism comprising an operating toggle, an operating lever actuated by said operatA ing toggle, an actuating toggle in pivotal relation with said operating lever, a colla psible connection between said operating lever and said actuating toggle, means for holding said collapsible connection in locked position to move said actuating toggle in response to said operating toggle into switch closing position, and means for automatically collapsing said connection to cause said actuating toggle to move into switch opening position free from said operatin toggle.

2. In an electric switch, the comination with a fixed contact member, and a coperating movable contact member, of an actuating mechanism comprising an operating toggle, a co-mmon bearing, an operating lever actuated by said operating toggle and movably mounted on said bearing, an actuatingl toggle for moving said movable contact member, one member of said toggle being pivotally mounted upon said operating lever, a collapsible locking toggle when in locked position forming a rigid connection between said operating lever and said actuating toggle whereby said actuating toggle moves said movable contact member into engagement with said xed contact member in response to movement of said operating tog gle, and means for collapsing said locking toggle to move said actuating toggle and hence said movable contact member' out of engagement with said fixed contact member on said common bearing and the other of said links being pivotally connected to said actuating toggle, a collapsible locking toggle between said operating lever and said actuating toggle for holding said actuating toggle rigid and slightly underset when in switch closing position whereby a movement of sa id operating toggle into switch closing position is transmitted by said actuating toggle to said parallel link device, and means for collapsing said locking toggle to allow said actuating toggle to collapse without moving said operating toggle from switch closing position.

4. An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising an operating toggle, an actuating toggle, an operating lever in pivotal relation with and movable by said operating toggle, said operating lever being also in pivotal relation with said actuating toggle to move said actuating toggle intoswitch closing position, a collapsible locking toggle when in collapsed position allowing said opera-ting lever to be moved by said operating toggle without moving said actuating toggle into switch closing position, said locking toggle when in locked position rigidly connecting said operating lever and said actuating toggle -to cause said actuating toggle to be moved into switch closing position in response to movement of said operating toggle, and means for collapsing said locking toggle to move said actuating toggle free from said operating toggle into switch opening position.

5. An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising a common bearing, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon said bearing, an operating toggle for moving "i said operating lever in pivotal relation with said lever, an actuating toggle pivotally mounted upon said operating lever eccentric to said bearing, a collapsible locking toggle when in locked position rigidly connecting said actuating toggle and said operating lever whereby a movement of said operating toggle to switch closing position moves said actuating toggle to switch closing position, and means for collapsing said locking toggle whereby said actuating togglc collapses without moving said operating toggle from switch closing position.

(3f An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising a common bearing,

"s an operating lever pivotally mounted on said bearing. a rotatable operating shaft, an operating toggle for moving said operating lever. one member of said toggle being in pivotal relation with said operating lever and the other member being pivotally secured to said operating shaft, an actuating toggle pivotally mounted upon said operating lever, a collapsible locking toggle connecting said operating lever and said actuating toggle for holding sald actuating togglc locked and movable into switch closing position by said operating toggle, a tripping arm for collapsing said locking toggle and allowing said actuating toggle to collapse free from said operating toggle, and means for actuating said tripping arm during the movement of said operating shaft to open said switch.

7. An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising a common bearing, an operating lever pivotally mounted upon said bearing, an actuating toggle in pivotal relation with said operating lever and movable by said lever into switch closing position, an operating toggle in pivotal relation with said operating lever for moving said lever, a collapsible locking toggle between said actuating toggle and said operating lever adapted when in locked position to form a rigid connection between said operating and actuating toggles whereby a movement of said operating toggle to switch closing position moves said actuating toggle into switch closing position, a tripping arm for collapsing said locking toggle, and

means for actuating said tripping arm iny said bearing, an operating shaft, an operat- 1 ing toggle for moving sald operating lever, one member of said toggle being pivoted to said operating shaft, an actuating toggle in pivotal relation with said operating lever, a collapsible locking toggle connecting said operating lever and said actuating toggle, said locking toggle when in locked position holding said actuating toggle locked and movable into switch closing position by said operating toggle, a tripping arm for collapsing said locking toggle and allowing said actuating toggle to move free of said operating toggle into switch opening position, and a pawl mounted upon said operating shaft for actuating said tripping arm when said shaft is rotated to move said operating toggle from switch closing to switch opening position.4

9. An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising an operating shaft, an operating toggle one member of which is pivotally secured to said shaft, a common hearing, a bifurcated operating lever pivotally mounted on said bearing and movable in response to said operating toggle, a bell crank lever pivotally mounted between the bifurcated arms of said operating lever, a link cooperating with said bell crank lever to form an actuating toggle, a collapsible locking toggle mounted between the bifurcated ends of said operating lever and said bell crank lever, said locking toggle' when collapsed allowing said operating toggle to move said operating lever but preventing said lever from4 moving said actuating toggle into switch closing position, said lock-ing toggle when in locked position holding said actuating toggle rigidly connected to sai-d operating lever whereby said actuating toggle is moved into' switch closing position by said operating toggle, a tripping arm -tor collapsing said locking toggle, and means for actuating said tripping arm.

10. An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising acommon bearing, a double bell crank lever mountedV on said bearing, an operating shaft, an operating toggle operatively related to-sa-id operating shaft for moving said double bell crank lever, a second bell cranklever pivotally mounted upon said double bell crank lever eccentric to said bearing, a link coperating with said second bell crank lever to form an actuating toggle, a' collapsible locking toggle between said second bell crank lever and said doublepbell crank lever whenfin locked position holding said actu'atin'fr toggle in locked position and when'in collapsed position allowing said actua-ting toggle tomove free of said operating toggle, a tripping arm for collapsing said locking toggle under predetermined conditions, and means operative in responsefto the'movement of said ope `ating toggle in switch opening direction for locking lsaid locking toggle.

11. An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising an operating toggle, a common bearing, an operating lever pivotally mounted on said bearing, a bell crank lever mounted on said operating lever, a link cooperating with said bell crank lever to form an actuating toggle, a second bell crank lever mounted on said bearing and pivotally connected at one end to said link a parallel link device actuated by said actuating toggle, one of said parallel links being mounted on said bearing and the other of said parallel links being pivotally connected to said link of said actuating toggle, a collapsible locking toggle when in locked position rigidly connecting said operating lever and saidgfirst mentioned bell crank lever to move said actuating toggle in response to said operating toggle into switch closing position, means for collapsing said locking toggle to allow said actuating toggle to move with said parallel link device free from said operating lever and said operating toggle into switch opening position, and means for locking said collapsible toggle as said operating toggle is moved in switch opening direction.

12. An actuating mechanism for an electric switch comprising a common bearing, a double bell-crank lever pivotally mounted upon said bearing, an operating shaft` an operating toggle pivotally mounted on said shaft tor moving said double bell-crank lever, a second bell-crank lever pivotzrlly mounted upon said double be'll crank lever eccentric to said bearing, a link cooperating with said second bell cra-n'k leverto form a normally underset actuating toggle, a parallel link device for movin the contacts o' said switch in' a straight line inresponse to movement of said actuating toggle,one of said parallel links being pivotally mounted on' said common bearing and the other of said links being pivotally connectedto said link of said actuating toggle, acollapsible locking toggle connecting said second mentioned bell crank lever and said double bell crank lever when in locked-position forming a rigid connection therebetween whereby said operating toggle moves said actuating toggle into switch closing position, a tripping'arm for collapsing said locking toggle and causing said actuating toggle to move free from said operating toggle i-nto switch openingposition, and means for actuating said tripping arm.

13. In an electric switch, the combination with relatively movable coperatingcontacts, of an actuating mechanism, therefor comprising an actuating toggle for operating said contacts, an operating member, an operating toggle operatively related to said member, a collapsible connection connecting said toggles and held locked 'for transmitting the thrust exerted by said operating toggle to said actuating toggle to close the switch` a tripping arm for collapsing said connection to open said switch by permitting said actuating toggle to move free ot said operating toggle, means for automatically moving said arm to tripping position, and means actuated in response to the movement of said operating toggle to switch opening position for also moving said arm to tripping position.

14, ln an electric switch ne combination with cooperating contacts biased to separate, ot an actuating mechanism for said contacts comprising an actuating toggle, an operating toggle norlnally overset when in switch closing position, an operating lever operatively1 related to said actuating and operating toggles, a collapsible locking toggle between said actuating toggle and said operating lever` said collapsible toggle when in locked position rendering said actuating toggle movable into switch closing position by the movement of said operating toggle into normally overset position` aud means responsive to the movement of said operating toggle in the reverse direction for collapsing said locking toggle and permitting said actuating toggle to move free from said operating toggle into switch opening position, said actuating toggle being held in normal switch closing position until said operating toggle has moved from said normally overset position.

15. In an electric switch, the combination with relatively movable cooperating contacts, of an actuating mechanism therefor comprising an actuating toggle, a normally overset operating toggle, a collapsible connection between said toggles, an operating handle, said operating toggle being movable by said handle in switch opening direction from overset to underset position without moving said actuating toggle, means for collapsing said connection either automatically or in response to the movement of said operating toggle by said handle when said operating toggle reaches underset position, whereby said actuating toggle moves free of said operating toggle to separate said coperating contacts at the same rate of speed whether said connection is collapsed manually o1' automatically.

16. In an electric switch, the combination with fixed and movable cooperating contacts, of an actuating mechanism therefor comprising an actuatingtoggle operatively related to said movable contacts, an operating toggle, a collapsible connection between said toggles, a latchingmember for holdingsaid connection lockedlwhereby the movement of said operating toggle in switch closing direction is transmitted to said actuating toggle to close the switch, a tripping member movable either automatically or in response to the movement of said operating toggle in switch opening direction for releasing said connection and allowing said actuating toggle to move into switch opening position free from said operating toggle, said operating toggle being movable first in switch opening direction to lock said collapsible connection and then in the reverse direction to close the switch.

17. In an electric switch, the combination with relatively movable coperating contacts, of an actuating mechanism therefor, an operating toggle operatively related to said actuating mechanism, a collapsible connection between said actuating mechanism and said operating toggle held rigid to transmit the thrust exerted by said operating toggle to close the switch, and releasing means operative either automatically or in response to the opening movement of the operating toggle for collapsing said connection to permit said switch to open free from said actuating mechanism.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd da of May, 1914.

- ER EST H. JACOBS.

Witnesses: v

HOWARD B. WILSON, HELEN ORFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

